Direction indicator



June 4, 1935. R. s. MILLER DIRECTION mnzcuon Filed Aug. 3, 1954 N m r 003/. am 0. .QJF Q K 1 Ma 2 0 4. |fi r W0v m Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES DIRECTION INDICA'IbR flhe t S aw A n nsunaams E nd Application August 3, 1934; Serial No. 738,331 7 In Great. Britain July ,;1933

This invention relates to direction indicators ior motor and like vehicles and to traffic control signalling devices, and has; for its object to pro.-. vide. improved indicators and means for operating the same which shall be very effective in service.

The invention relates more particularly to a direction indicator or tr-aflic control signalling de, vice of the type in which a casing with its axis vertical has a pointer projecting radially therefrom, the casing being turned about its axis by electrical means to give the desired signals or direction indications. a

' The invention comprises j the arrangement wherein electromagnetic means on energiaation cause axial movement of the casing relatively to thestationary portion of the indicator, the casing duringand as a consequence of such axial movement being caused to turn about its axis.

The invention further comprises the arrangement wherein the casing is secured to and moves with a member or members constituting a moi/ able armature for an electromagnet which forms part of the said stationary portion of the indicator, spring means being provided normally to maintain the casing with the pointer in the normal or no turn position, and the armature clear of the electromagnet, the spring pressure being overcome by the attraction between the electromagnet and its armature when the former is energized.

The invention further comprises the arrangement wherein the pointer comprises a glasstubular member secured to the casing of the-device and illuminated by an electric lamp within the casing. I

The invention further comprises the arrangement wherein the pointer is constructed as'a framework of metal strip-like elements which carry an electric lamp between them towards the outer end of the pointer, the strip like elements being held together at their outer ends by a'nut threading on to screw threaded parts on the striplike elements.

The invention further comprises the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the'accompanying drawing:- Figure l is a part sectional side elevation of a direction indicator for motor and like vehicles constructed in one convenient form in accordance with the invention, with the parts in the positions they occupy-when the device is indicating that a turn is to be made. a '7 Figure 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 22 ciF zures C ainis- (01. 121-329) Figure 3 is a sectional plan view' on the line 3:13 of Figure 1. l a Figure dis a part sectional end elevation on the line 44- of Figure 1 looking 'f-rom' right to Figure 5 is aview similar to Figure l of a medified' construction of indicator, but -With the parts in the positions they-occupy for ahead dllylllg Figures 6 and? are a plan View and a part sectional end elevation on the'line 1 1, of Figure 5 respectively, showing the mountingofthe electric lamp'within the pointer. Referring to Figures i 1504, the indicator comprises a casing a, which may be of'rnoulded insulating material, with a pointer-'12 and tail fin c securedthereto so'asto'project radially from op posite sides as shown. The pointer b is constituted by a fluted conical glass tubular element b bounded above and below by a' frame lb 'ef v section stripmetal; The outer-e id 22 of. the glass element is solid and the inner flanged end is held in a recess in the casing t by secre s-1 upon theframe b which are attached tof'the casing by screws d. The s ip metal'members'or the frame b aresqueeaed at their outerendsas shown in Figure 2, to hold between 'them aflsuit ably coloured strip apreferably of red celluloid.

Rivets c hold the stripe against displacement.

A further strip c passes axially through the tubularelement b "The solid end b of the" latter is provided with external g-roovesto receive the coloured strip e which then serves to steadythe end of the tubular elementb e tailfir' c is attached to the-casing bysorews d.

The' stationary part of the indicator comprises a central tubular member f havingan elctro-' magnet g with pole piece kmcunited thereupon.

Secured to the lower cylindrical part of the cas-Q ing a by -a cap tie a cylindrical member which is a sliding fit upon the tube 1 and constitutes the armature cfj theyelectrorna g net g. The electromagn'etis energized by current irema lead It (passing through the bore of the tubular merr her f) -under-the control of a switchmounted in any suitable position for convenient operation by the driver of the vehicle. A spring mils inter posed between the capi and the casingoi the electromagnet grnori nally to hold the'a'rmature away from the pole piece h, the resistance of the spring being ove'rcomewhen-the electromagnet is energized; the parts-thenassuming the' p'osi'. tion' shown in'Figure 1. I i Secur'edto the top of the casing of. theelectro ma n t 9 ba scr w thi a s earst havingthe lenses-p secured therein many suit able manner. As shown in the drawing there are four lenses, the two in line with the pointer and tail fin being red and those at right angles thereto being green for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to. A festoon type double ended electric lamp q is carried axially in the lens carrier in a holder constituted by spring strips 1', 1' Current is supplied to the lamp q from the lead It by contacts s on the lamp holder strips 1', r

Non-rotatably'mounted in the upper part of the lens carrier 0 and disposed axially of the. indicator is a helically grooved stud t which 00- operates with a nut of particular oonstructioni which may be moulded in the cas ing a. The nut consists of four steel ballsu carried between a pair of apertiued square cheekpieces 1) held together by a short square tubularelementw'." The Y source of illumination and lens carrier are disballs are self-locating, taking up the. positions shown in Figure 3 when the nut is threaded on to the stud t. A screw plug a: closes the upper part of the casing a; If desired the casing itself, may form the cap which in the illustration is provided by the plug as.

With the constructionof indicator described, two of such indicators may be used for each. vehicle, one for giving right'hand indications and the other for giving left hand indications. The indicators maybe mounted upon brackets upon side pillars of the vehicle, upon the side lamps,

or in any position where they give the necessary indications to other traific and to those who control traflic. A single switch of any suitable form.

may be mounted upon the facia board or steering column of the vehicle to control the indications given by both indicators, the respective lamp and magnet circuits being arranged in parallel.

- The operation of the device is as follows:

To give a signal that the vehicle is going to make a turn, the switch is operated to complete the lamp and magnet circuits of the appropriate indicator. The energizing of the magnet g causes attraction of the armature a, thelatter moving upwardly, causing axially upward movement of the casing a. The latter however, by reason of the fact that its connection with the stationarypart of the indicator is constituted by the helically grooved stud t and' nut-w, also makes a turning movement the pitch of the heli,-' cal groove on the stud t issuch that for the amount ofaxial movement of the casing a, the latter turns through The. pointer b is turned into the position shown in Figure, 1 and a brilliant red illumination of the pointer 12 and tail fin 0 will be produced by light passing from the lamp q through the red lenses p. In the case of the'pointer, the light from the respective lens passes alongthe glass tubular element b and the red illumination of the pointer is enhanced by the strip e,e It will be noticed that the pointer 12 comes opposite the lenses pby reason of its axial and rotative movement and is normally axially displaced from the lenses by the amount of axial movement of thecasing. When the switch is operated to'break the lamp and magnet circuits, the spring mforces the armature 7' and cap i downwardly,-and the casing q, and pointer b move helically, downwards until the pointer b projects in the direction of travel of the vehicle. To give a signal that the vehicle is going to proceed straight ahead, the switch is operated to complete the lamp circuitonly, when a green light will show forward by light passing from-the lamp through one of the green lenses and along the pointer. It will be appreciated r m F l 2 lhfifithe. thic n ss efnthe; stripe.

6 and of the framework 72 is insufiicient to form any. appreciable obstruction to the passage of such green light.

The connection between the casing a and the stationary part of the indicator is the equivalent of a quick pitch screw thread.

It will be appreciated that a right hand indicator has a helical groove,,slot or screw thread of opposite hand from an otherwise similarly constructedleft hand indicator so that the electromagnetic attractive effort producesin the former case axial movement, and angular movement to the right of the casing, and in the second case axial movement and angular movement to the left of the casing.

Referring to Figures 5 to '7, in the modified construction of indicator shown therein, the central pensedwith and the pointer is illuminated externally by a lamp q at the outer end of the pointer. The latter is constituted by a pair of V section strip metal elements 3 of the shape shown, attached to the casing a as before and a second pair of strip metal elements e which together with the elements 1 form a holder for the lamp q. The outer ends of the strip metal elements 11 and z are brought together and held by a cap I which threads or clips thereonto. The arrangement of the electromagnetand its armature is the same as in the embodiment already described, but the helically grooved stud t is carried directly by the casing of the electromagnet. Current is supplied to the lamp through the strip metal elements 1/, from the lead which passes through the tubular member 7 already described. The lamp q. may be provided with a rod or other suitably coloured screen therearound. The operation of the indicator will be evident from the description of the operation of the indicator shown in Figures 1 to 4.

The device may be employed for traiiic control signalling, for example to indicate when vehicles are to be allowed to turn to the left against a traflic light signal, or a series of devices may be employed to direct incoming traffic into vacant parking spaces.

What I claim is:--

l. A direction indicator of the type described comprising a support, a rotatable casing external to and mounted on said support, an indicator mounted directly upon said casing, electromagnetic means in said casing adapted toimpart axial movement to said casing and means to constrain said casing to rotate during said axial movement.

2. A direction indicator of the type described comprising a rotatable casing, a support for said casing, an indicator on said casing, electro-magnetic means adapted to move said casing axially and mechanical means removed and separate from said electro-magnetic means adapted to be operated by said casing during its axial movement to impart a rotary movement to said casing.

3.. A direction indicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said casing is secured to and moves with a member constituting a movable armature for an electromagnet and in which there are spring means adaptedto resist movement of said armature by said electromagnet and to restore said armature to its rest position upon cessation of action of said electromagnet.

4. A direction indicator as claimed in claim 2 wherein the said casing is secured to and moves with a member constituting themovable armature electromagnetic means and in which there are spring means adapted to resist movement of said armature by said electromagnet and to restore said armature to its rest position upon cessation of action of said electromagnet.

5. A direction indicator according to claim 1 wherein the means specified which constrain said casng to rotate during its axial movement comprise a quick screw thread connection between the casing and a stationary portion of the indicator.

6. A direction indicator according to claim 1 wherein the means specified which constrain said casing to rotate during its axial movement comprise a helically grooved stud mounted upon said support of the indicator and a co-operating nut non-rotatably mounted upon the said casing.

7. A direction indicator according to claim 1 wherein the means specified which constrain said casing to rotate during its axial movement comprise a helically grooved stud mounted upon said support of the indicator and a co-operating nut non-rotatably mounted upon the said casing, the said nut comprising four balls located in the corners of a frame member in the form of a hollow square.

8. A direction indicator according to claim 2 wherein the mechanical means specified comprise a helically grooved stud and a nut co-operating therewith, said nut comprising a square hollow frame member within the four corners of which four balls are located, said nut and. said stud being non-rotatably mounted one upon said casing and one upon said support of the indicator.

ROBERT SHAW MILLER. 

